Insulating flexible splicer core for



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United States Patent Office Re. 24,504 Reissued July 15,1958

INSULATING FLEXIBLE SPLICER CORE FOR PLURAL CABLE JOiNTS AND CABLE SPLIC- ING METHOD Daniel G. Kervvin, Bensonville, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to J. B. Nottingham & Co., Inc., New Yori-I, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original No. 2,639,312, dated May 19, 1953, Serial No. 79,859, Merch 5, 1949. Application for reissue May 13, 1955', Serial No. 563,338

6 Claims. (Cl. 174-138) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets [j appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to a splicer core, a term which applicant has adopted to identify a strip of insulation material having outwardly directed parallel grooves in which is positioned spliced electrical conductors of spliced cables.

At the present time there are two standard cable splices, the hand splice and the vulcanized splice. The vulcanized splice will be described first. Referring to Fig. 1, the splicer first cuts back the outer wrappings of each cable such as 10 (a two-conductor cable) to expose the insulated conductors 12 and 14. He then bares the copper strands 16 and 18 and joins them by a copper sleeve 20 which he crimps at, for example, 22 and 2d with a crimping tool. The sleeve has a small hole 26 in its wall into which the splicer may pour solder. He may then repeat these steps for the conductors 14 and 28, seeking to make the length of spliced conductors la and 28 exactly equal to the length of spliced conductors 1I?. and 13. Usually, he rst winds tape 30 of fully cured rubber around the conductors 12 and 13 because it is easier to Wind the tape 30 while the conductors 14 and 28 are still unspliced. He repeats the tape-winding operation on spliced conductors 14 and 28, but it is didicult to do a neat job because he must push the tape end repeatedly between the spliced conductors. The regular taping shown in Fig. 2 is diiiicult to attain and slow and the difiiculty and time consumed increases as the number of conductors in a cable increases.

The first object of this invention is to provide a method and means for eliminating this winding of tape through the opening between two conductors.

Thereafter, the splicer winds a tape 32 of semi-cured rubber around all conductors after which he adds several layers of tape 34 of uncured rubber, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The splicer freely uses a liquid cement during tape-winding operations. The splice is now placed in a vulcanizing apparatus. This apparatus is schematically illustrated in Fig. 3 for the purpose of explaining why tapes of various cures are used. If uncured rubber is substituted for the fully cured tape 30, the molds 36 and 38 may press the conductors into engagement with each other during vulcanizing and shorts will develop.

'l`he second object of this invention is to provide a splicer core of nonconductive material which will hold the conductors at a predetermined minimum distance from each other in either a hand splicer or a vulcanized splicer.

The steps in making a hand splice are the same as those described for the vulcanized splice excepting that fully cured rubber'tape is used throughout and friction tape is used as an outside protection.

The qualities of these two splices are very dependent upon the workmanship of the splicer, and this is particularly true of hand splices. Frequently, the nished splice resembles a great knot.

The third object of this invention is to provide a neat splice.

Ancillary objects of this invention include: the provision of splicer cores for cables having various numbers of conductors therein and splicer cores in which the grooves for holding the conductors have various diameters; the provision of beveled ends or biased ends on splicer cores to minimize separation of the ends of the core from the respective adjacent ends of the cables resulting from flexing of the spliced cable; and the provision of cores divided transversely into sections each having a conductor groove therein for more readily assembling the core in a splice.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained in several embodiments of the invention disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figs. 1 through 3 illustrate steps in making a standard hand or vulcanized cable splice today;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of applicants fixedlength splicer cores abutted to the end of a cable, the conductors being omitted;

Fig. 5 is a view of a spliced, three-conductor cable with the conductors joined and illustrating how a length Iof applicants core may be cut off preparatory to insertion between the conductors in the cable;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating how applicants core is positioned between the conductors;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a fixed-length, biased-end splicer core;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a fixed-length, splicer core having tapered end-s;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a splicer core having long tapered ends;

Figs. 10, 1l and l2 are sectional views of applicants splicer cores designated for two-conductor, three-conductor, and four-conductor cables;

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are cross sectional views of applicants sectional splicer cores;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a splicer core having encircling wing members for enclosing the conductors, and shown in expanded position; and,

Fig. 17 is a cross sectional View of this same core in closed position.

Continuing to refer to the drawings, the numeral. 40 in Fig, 4 identities a cylinder of cured rubber having three longitudinal, semi-closed grooves or tubular chambers connected to the surface by a slot or slit, 42, 44 and 46. This constitutes applicants splicing core. For shop repairing, lthese cores may be supplied in fixed lengths or sizes. Some will have two grooves, others three, or more. For field repairing, the core may be provided in three-foot lengths.

The method of making a splice is as follows. Referring to Fig. 5, the strands 48 of the insulated conductors 50 are bared and the ends 52 and 54 of the cables are cut along a plane as nearly at right angles to the cable axis as possible. The strands are spliced to each other so that the conductors are of approximately equal lengths, thereby holding the ends 52 and 54- in substantially parallel planes. The splicer then positions adjacent the spliced cable the splicer core 56I so that he may cut, as at 58, a core to fit quite exactly between the two ends 52 and 54.

The ends 52 and 54 are next drawn toward each other, thereby spreading the conductors as illustrated in Fig. 6. The splicer core 40 is inserted and forced into position, the core being made of cured rubber but quite fiexible. lt will be noted that the outside diameter ofthe core is substantially less than the outside diameter of splice.

the cable. The splicer then wraps the core with a rubber tape 60, see Fig. 7, to provide a smooth surfaced If the splice is to be vulcanized (there is iield equipment for such vulcanizing), tape 60 will be of uncured rubber, and the splicer will probably wrap uncured rubber into any space 62 (Fig. 7) between a cable end and the end of the splicer core and he will overlap the tape 60 over the ends of the cable, as wat 64. If the splice is to be unvulcanized, the tape 60 will be cured rubber and a layer of friction tape will be added.

The splicer core illustrated in Fig. 7 is similar to that core heretofore described excepting that the ends of the core are cut on la bias and the ends of the cable are cut on a similar bias. For those cables that will not be flexed at the splice, the core illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 is the best, but where the cable is one that will be flexed, as a cable connected to a portable machine, the joints between the cable ends and the splicer core ends may open, unless vulcanized. A splice made with the bias splicer core illustrated in Fig. 7 is less subject to this objection.

The cores illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 are particularly adapted to prevent the opening of the joints between the ends of the cable and the ends of the splicer core. In Fig. 8, the ends of the splicer core are beveled and the splicer similarly bevels the cable ends. He can then wrap tape tightly into the resulting annular channel and as the tape overlaps both the core and cable ends, there will be less likelihood of separation. The splicer cores of Figs. 8 and 9 are particularly adapted to hand splicing.

The core illustrated in Fig. 9 is also advantageous in that it is more readily inserted between the conductors. 'Ihe insertion of a core having a length approximating the spacing of the cable ends can be simplified by inserting the core after one conductor (or two if a three-conductor cable) has been spliced, and by then splicing the remaining conductor in the groove of the splicer core. Crimping the sleeve is a little dicult.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are cross sections of splicer cores for two-, threeand four-conductor cables. These sectional views show that the facing edges of each groove are very close to each other so as to insulate the conductors externally as well as from each other.

In Figs. 13, 14 and 15, there are shown three sectional splicing cores. In Fig. 13, the core consists of two units each having a cross section consisting of a semi-circle with a groove outwardly directed therein. A single core section would be 4used for making the two-part core. Similarly, the core, in Fig. 14, would consist of three sections, all identical, wherein the back of each core would be formed by two plain surfaces intersecting at an angle of 120 degrees. In the core shown in Fig. 15, the cross section of each core member would be a quadrant of la circle. These sectional cores are advantageous in that they can be more easily mounted between spliced conductors of a cable.

In Figs. 16 and 17, applicant illustrates a modified form of core. The core 70 carries very shallow grooves 72, 74 and 76, but in this embodiment the core is connected to wings o r flaps 78 and 80. This is la three-conductor core and a full circle around each conductor is obtained by continuing the grooves 74 and 76 along the lines 82 and 84. The walls 86 and 88 on folding the wings engage the walls 90 and 92 respectively of the core. The walls 94 and 96 are sections of cylinders and this core assembles into the cross section illustrated in Fig. 17. This core 70, can be quickly inserted between the conductors after all of the conductors have been spliced because the diameter of the core 70 is very small. The core is made of cured rubber which is sufficiently flexible to permit its being expanded into the form illustrated in Fig. 16. Basically, the idea is the same as the other splicer cores illustrated because it is the central core 70 which spaces the conductors from each other.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is that shown in Figs. 4 and 8. Applicant will make splicer cores of a selected length and formed of fairly hard, nonconductive, iiexible material such as cured rubber, or formed of some fairly rigid material such as a hardened plastic with open-sided grooves. Instead of cutting a strip `of splicer core to t the space between the ends of spliced cables, the splicer will splice the conductors so that the cable ends will rit the splicer core. The cores will contain grooves for two to four conductors. Cores and grooves `of various diameters may be provided. However, a large number of dilerent cores will not be needed. The vast amount of cable splicing work is done on twoor three-wire cables in which the range in diameters of the conductors that are spliced is comparatively small.

Having thus described his invention, applicant claims:

1. The method of splicing two, multi-conductor cable ends to each other which comprises the steps of squaring the ends of the cable, splicing pairs of bare conductors to each other so that when the cable ends are drawn apart a selected distance there will be a plurality of substantially parallel conductors, and of forcing between the spliced conductors a flexible, elastic insulating core having a length slightly less than the distance between the cable ends while concurrently forcing the conductors into surface grooves in the elastic core.

2. A splicing core for multi-conductor cable splicing comprising an elongated block of flexible, non-conductive material, each end of the block being tapered to a substantially smaller diameter, a plurality of open-ended chambers spaced from each other around the longitudinal axis of the block and parallel thereto, and a split connecting each chamber to the adjacent surface of the block throughout the entire length of the chamber.

3. The method of splicing two multi-conductor insulated cable` ends to each other, which comprises the steps of removing the insulation from a portion of each of the two ends 0f the cables to form the insulation with ends lying in planes at a predetermined angle to the axis of the cable and baring the conductors, splicing togethen bare conductors thus providing at least two such spliced conductors, positioning between the two spliced conductors a flexible grooved elastic insulating core of a length substantially equal to the length of the space between the two insulation ends, introducing the spliced portions of the conductors insto the said grooves in the elastic insulating core, and applying a covering around the full' length 01 the core and extending the covering over and beyond the two ends of the cable and sealing the covering to the core and to the said ends of the cable.

4. The method of splicing `together ends of two insulated multi-wre strand conductor cables, which comprises the steps of removing insulation from and baring portions of the strands to be spliced, squaring the insulation of the cable ends, electrically coupling together pairs of bored strands of the two cables, inserting between the squared cable ends and between the coupled strands d separating elastic insulating core having a length toY fit snugly between said squared ends and having longitudinal substantially closed tubular chambers, and sealing each coupled pair of strands in u chamber.

5. The method of splicing two multi-conductor insta lated cable ends to each other, which comprises the .steps of removing the insulation from a portion of each of the two ends of the cables to vform the insulation with ends lying in planes at a predetermined angle to the axis of the cable and baring the conductors, splicing together the bored conductors thus providing at least two such spliced conductors, positioning between :the two spliced conductors a flexible grooved elastic insulating core of a length to substantially jill the length of the space between the two insulation ends, and introducing Ithe spliced portions of the conductors into the said grooves in the elastic insulating core.

6. The method of splicing together the ends of two insulated multi-wire strand conductor cables, which comprises the steps of removing insulation from and baring portions of the strands to be spliced, removing the nsulation from a portion of each of the two ends of the cable to form the insulation with ends lying in planes at a predetermined angle to the axis of the cable, electrically coupling together a pair of bared strands of the two cables, inserting between the said cable ends and between the coupled strands a separating elastic solid center insulating core of a length to substantially jill the space between the two insulation ends and having a circular cross section of a diameter less than the maximum out. side diameter of the said insulation ends and having longitudinal tubular chambers each having access means in the wall thereof, enclosing each coupled pair of strands in a chamber, applying insulation wrapping around the core and carrying the wrapping beyond the ends of the core over the adjacent cable insulation ends, and sealing the wrapping to the core and to the cable insulation.

References Cited in the le of this patent or the original patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sprague May 6, OConnor Apr. 12, Peuote Oct. 6, Klenk July 13, Oleazaki Dec. 26, Acu Feb. 15, Weiland Dec. 23, La Jone May 26, Friend June 23, Joyce Aug. 17, Martin July 9, Thelin Mar. 21,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 25, 

